Around 72 million people remain under wind alerts across the High Plains, Rocky Mountains and the Northeast where strong wind gusts and snow storms have been interrupting holiday weekend travel.
Strong wind gusts are targeting the High Plains region, where high fire danger was a concern through Friday night. The gusts will gradually recede overnight, and calmer conditions are anticipated through the weekend.
In Montana, snow showers, low visibility and gusty winds have created hazardous travel conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
President Donald Trump said that he approved a disaster declaration for the state due to the severe storms, according to a post on Truth Social.
Snowfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches in Colorado combined with winds up to 50 mph have also created adverse travel conditions in the state.
A dust storm swept across a road in Boulder County on Friday, making driving conditions extremely difficult.
In the Northeast, wind gusts ranged from 50 to 60 mph through Friday afternoon before they were forecast to gradually calm through the overnight hours. The rain impacting the region is also gradually ending, with some scattered lake effect snow showers lingering into the start of the weekend.
As of Saturday afternoon, over 5,100 flights traveling from, into and within the U.S. have been delayed and 266 have been canceled, according to FlightAware.com. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport accounts for most of the delays, with over 335 delays and 33 cancellations.
There's an almost two hour ground delay at Colorado's Aspen/Pitkin County Airport due to inclement weather and low ceilings, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The snow and rain is expected to persist through the holiday week in the Northwest, and pick back up again on Tuesday in the Northeast. Spotty showers are forecast from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast on Monday.
West Coast floods
An active weather pattern persists across the West Coast, where 13 million people are under flood alerts from Washington to California. The storms are expected to continue through the holiday week.
On Friday, one person was killed and two people were injured when a car lost control on State Route 49 amid "heavy rain and wet roadway conditions," according to California Highway Patrol.
"The vehicle left the roadway, traveled down an embankment on the east side of State Route 49, and struck two trees, sustaining major damage," the highway patrol said.
The driver was identified as 29-year-old Brian Ibanez, who was injured in the crash along with two minor passengers. A third minor was pronounced dead on the scene, the highway patrol said, adding that the child's name is being withheld pending release by the Nevada County Coroner. The cause of the crash is under investigation, but weather may have been a factor.
Scattered snow and rain showers are targeting parts of the Pacific Northwest on Saturday, with rain developing over northern California and Oregon through Saturday afternoon and evening. Heavier downpours are anticipated Sunday into Monday for this region, increasing the risk of flash flooding.
This active pattern will linger over California through Friday with rainfall totals generally ranging from 2 to 6 inches. Localized amounts of 6 to 12 inches will be possible in some of the mountains and foothills of the northern Sierra Nevada. Numerous flash flooding events are possible, affecting local streams and rivers.
Debris flows in or near recently burned areas is also a concern for this region. The risk area includes Seattle, Napa, Fresno and Sacramento.
Residents in Seattle and the rest of King County, Washington were warned about rats appearing in their toilets because heavy rain and floodwaters could sweep rodents into the sewer system. If that happens, the public health department said, residents should close the toilet lid and flush. If the rat is still there afterwards, dish soap can be used to help the rat slide down when flushed.
This system will also bring heavy mountain snow to parts of the central Sierra Nevada and Cascades this week. Three to 8 feet of snow will be possible through Friday, with gusty winds up to 50 mph creating impossible driving conditions over some mountain passes.
The National Weather Service advised residents to stay away from rivers and creeks, and plan for potential travel impacts, especially through Tuesday to Thursday.
